HARRIET MARTINEAU-A BIO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4667, 28 October 1876, Page 6

HARRIET MARTINEAU-A 810.

GRAPHICAL NOTICE.

Mr. Adah Fisher sends us the following earefully written biographical sketch of Harriet Martinean: — I would wish, if space permit, to pay an humble tribute of respect and admiration to the memory of Harriet Martinean. To me it seems fitting that her services should be recognised and acknowledged" by one who has embraced her opinions, political and theological. Who, although following a long distance off, still avow myself an humble, yet ardent disciple. The Edict of Nantes, on being revoked by the 14th Louis, caused a number of the Huguenot refugees to flee to England —to them we are indebted for the silk manufactures of Warwick and Derby. To them we are also indebted for Miss Martineau. Born on the I2th June, ISO 2, she very early gave evidence of considerable mental power. She was the youngest of a family of eight, the celebrated James Martineau being her elder brother. While still young, she became partially deaf, which threw her very much on her own internal resources, and induced those habits of reflection which have yielded such splendid fruit, and caused her to layup those vast stores of information which have since so much enriched the literature of Europe. Owing to her commercial losses, and almost ruin of the father (who was a Norwich silk manufacturer), she was obliged to call out her powers of mind in an endeavour to earn a livelihood in a literary capacity. This proving insufficient she eked it out by finding employment as a needlewoman. Educated as an Unitarian, much of her early writings were contribttions to the literature of that body. Her first book, "Devotions forYoungPeople," was published in 1523. Her works—published before ISO 3 —did not bring her very prominently before the public, though some of them were marked by rare merit and considerable acumen. In 1830 the winning of the 3 prizes —to which allusion was made by last Saturday's Star— brought her before the literary world, much more favoui-ably and prominently. One of these essays, I have been informed, is a most splendid production, it is called " The Essential Faith of the Universal Church." From 1830 to 1835 she wrote a number of tracts and brochures, illustrating the true principles of political economy, constantly recommending the enfranchisement of the people and the abrogation of the game laws. Witness the high encomium passed upon her by Lord Brougham, in 1832, he says, "There is at Norwich a deaf girl who is doing more good than any man in the country. What Miss Martineau is gaining glory by is a series of illustrations of political economy, published as periodical tales. She has a vast store of knowledge on many deep, and difficult subjects ; a wonderful store for a person scarcely 30 years of age." From 1835 to 1837 Miss Martineau made a tour through the United States, and published, on her return, a work called " Society in America." In the same year she wrote the popular novel called " The Hour and the Man," affording a superior delineation of Toussaint L'Uuverture, the black patriot of Hayti, and concluding with a tremendous denunciation of slavery. The same year she also published a thoroughly English domestic novel, called " Deerbrook," abounding in beautiful descriptions of English country life and scenery. The work she has done for the Liberal party met with a fitting acknowledgment at their hands, with which she bought "The Knoll," at Ambleside, in the midst of the beautiful scenery of the Cumberland Lakes. Ju the

garden, at this place, is to be seen a sundial on which she had inscribed the dying words of Goethe, " Light Mere Light." For several years she had been contin'jd to her bed, but was restored, muck to her own surprise, by the agency of mesmerism, •which cure, caused by mesmeric agency, produced considerable commotion at that time (1844). Her series of essays, " Life in a Sick Room," were written during this period. In 1846 she made a journey to Egypt, Syria, and the Holy Land, publishing her impressions in a ™,-ork called " Eastern Life, Vast and Preeent." A considerable part of her time and attention, while in the east, seems to have been devoted to the examination of the inscriptions on Mount Sinai. Through the medium of an atheistic journal, The Heagoncr, she declared her opinion that these inscriptions were the work of the Sabeans—a people whom she describes as worshipping " the sun, and his attendant planets.". Next, ehe wrote, for Charles Knight, "A' History of England, during the 30 years' peace." A work truthful and clear, contrasting favourably with that prosy production, " Alison's History of Europe, from 1815 to 1852." Shortly after this she astounded, startled, and shocked the religious world, by her assertion that she had come to entirely different conclusions in regard to theology, declaring herself an anti-supernaturalist. Great moral courage was instanced in this. .Boldly she came forward, fearlessly she incurred social persecution, and the odium theologicum, Hying to the assistance of atheists who had been traduced by their pious slanderers, and cheerfully ranking herself by their side. In 1851 appeared the work to which I allude, viz., " Letters on the Laws of Min's Mature and Development," by Henry George Atkinson, F.G.S., and Harriet Slartiueau. This extraordinary work consists of a series of letters in which Miss Martineau, as an enquirer, asks Professor Atkinson to be taught in sequence the result of his researches into the nature and position of tho human being. They are conducted on a thoroughly inductive or Baconian method. I am tempted to offer a specimen of her style from one of those letters—tho one on "Theology and Science :"—''The history of the rainbow, as instanced in one of your •letters, is a good epitome of the history of the connection of the universe with the mind of man from the beginning. Everything that moved—everything that was not permanent, and stationary—-was at first a sign apd a revelation in the absence of science, From the moment that science was conceived of the exorcism began—and it has been going on ever since. Spirits have been driven out wherever she has turned her light, wherever she has fixed her gaze, wherever her firm and gentle voice has bidden them come forth, and trouble the timid no more. There is much ] yet to do ; but enough is done to show what must be ' thje fate of all remaining dreams ' and delusions. . The'fresh dawn of science has for some time been brightening upon the ■nightmare period of theology,' and the full and ■perfect day is the surest afloat in! the universe. EvenHihebloglans 'hike j;b£ : so far as to struggle to show-ffiit science apd revelation can be made, to ■ In this;' we know they will not encoaed; but. it. is , a testimony to the rtrpngth'-and consideration' that science has 'attained.;; :Science can abolish only that which and then only in order to substantiate that whichis real. Her office is to take out the. vital principle from forms once beautiful, when they begin to grow hideous with age, and to transfuse into i it new forms of beauty which we may love without fear and without disgust." Such is a specimen taken at random from the work

already .mentioned .shewing jher liitenie aTßireion to-theology,'and-her'earnest love «nd.BQlicitiide,for science. Uppfi:the.pubb> cation of her translation and exposition of the positive; philosophy - of- Comte the breach between her and the religions world became wider, if possible. She not only-avowed herself a'disciple and partisan of the great destroyer of religion, but has remained, up to the day of her death, •, a • steady advocate of his principles. Her fullest, greatest, grandest, truest glory and honour is, that she not only sympathised with .the struggles of the progressive party, but while she had life, her genius, her tongue, and pen were freely given to that cause which she was convinced was the true one, and which she took up, and earnestly lived out in life and conduct. >he, George Eliot, George Sand, and Mrs. Somerville may fairly stand first amongst the mighty women of the present century.